Public morally obliged to take part in scientific research, says leading ethicist
31 Mar 2005
The public has a moral obligation to support and take part in scientific research, says a leading ethicist in the Journal of Medical Ethics.
John Harris, Professor of Bioethics at the Institute of Medicine, Law and Bioethics at the University of Manchester, does not advocate making it a legal requirement for people to get involved. But he contends that compulsion is, in principle, justifiable, and in certain circumstances, may be justified.
And he suggests that a change to the Declaration of Helsinki, which sets out the ethical grounds for research, is warranted.
Professor Harris points out that other activities in society, such as vaccination the wearing of seatbelts, and jury service, require the loss of personal autonomy for the public good. "Might medical research be another such case," he asks?
Financial incentives to participate in research are fully justified and preferable to compulsion, he argues.
